Don't Run Away
by TheFifthCharmedOne
Summary: Draco Malfoy is incapable of fading into anonymity. Who knew overhearing some stupid taunts about Luna Lovegood would eventually lead to befriending and shagging Harry Potter? Inspired by an Instagram post!


Don't Run Away

By: TheFifthCharmedOne

Disclaimer: No.

Summary: Draco Malfoy is incapable of fading into anonymity. Who knew overhearing some stupid taunts about Luna Lovegood would eventually lead to befriending and shagging Harry Potter? Inspired by an Instagram post!

Tags: Eighth Year, Bottom Draco, Top Harry, Self-Loathing, Bullying, Draco Being A Cinnamon Roll, Anxiety Disorder, Insomnia, PTSD

-X-X-X-

"Password?"

"Parseltongue."

The portrait of Salazar Slytherin swung inward, and Draco Malfoy stepped through, head down and fists clenched. A round of Stinging Hexes had been cast at him from behind, so his back was covered with welts.

 _Cowards._ Draco thought viciously. _If they're going to hex me, fine. I deserve it. But at least let me defend myself._

"…I doubt it's even natural. I bet she casts dying spells on it every morning, along with looking for whatever godforsaken creature her father cooked up this time!"

"Yeah, Loony is as crazy as they come."

Blaise Zabini, Millicent Bulstrode, Pansy Parkinson, and Theodore Nott were seated together by the fireplace, casually taunting Luna Lovegood as though they hadn't all just survived a goddamn _war._

All four sets of eyes fell on Draco, who was subconsciously touching his own platinum blond hair.

"I'll have you know, my hair is one hundred percent natural, Bulstrode." Malfoy growled. "And Lovegood's is too. It's a valuable pure-blood trait, unlike the disgusting mop you call hair."

An uncomfortable silence fell, and Draco huffed out a harsh chuckle. "What, can't continue to taunt now that you've been called out? I thought we were past this immaturity."

"Draco…" Pansy hedged, and Draco held up a hand.

"Blaise, a word?" he said coldly, and the dark-skinned boy rose to follow Draco into the boys' dormitory.

-X-X-X-

In the dormitory, Draco slowly began to disrobe, undoing his green and silver tie and throwing it across the room. Then, he pushed his robes off his shoulders and began to unbutton his white school shirt.

"Stinging hexes are nasty. Pierces through clothes but doesn't leave marks on them." Blaise said, arms crossed over his chest as Draco undressed. The blond boy sat down on his bed and reached for the jar of dittany root on his bedside table.

Blaise sat down behind him and took the jar from Draco's pale hand.

"We're just trying to find some normalcy. We don't mean any harm with the teasing." Blaise said as he applied the dittany root to Draco's marred skin. "Merlin's saggy y-fronts Draco, who did this to you?"

"I don't know. They hit me from behind."

"Blasted cowards." Blaise grumbled, and Draco snorted. "Didn't McGonagall threaten to remove 100 points from any house that attacks another student?"

"Only if they're caught." Draco hissed as Blaise's fingers brushed along a particularly painful welt. He forced himself to breathe. _You deserve this. You threatened all of their lives by bringing Death Eaters into the school!_

"Since you're so invested in this harassment thing, maybe you ought to start some kind of anti-bullying campaign." Blaise suggested airily. "It'd be a great prank."

Draco scoffed, a harsh laugh escaping him.

"Yeah, and have Lovegood help me out."

"Done with the dittany." Blaise said, closing the jar and giving it back to Draco. "Maybe you should talk to Potter too."

"Blaise, are you mad?" Draco asked, grabbing a faded undershirt from under his pillow and yanking it over his head. "If I involve Potter, everyone will be watching me again."

"Sure, but he's the savior of the wizarding world, at the very least he can stop the attacks in the halls. I still have a bruise from the Tripping Jinx I got a few days ago."

"Oh poor you." Draco sniffed. "I'm not saying anything to Saint Potter." Draco said firmly. "And if you know what's good for you, you won't talk to him either."

"Stop trying to be a martyr, Draco." Blaise told him, frustration seeping into his tone. "And let the real heroes do the fighting."

"Go fuck yourself."

"Fine, I'll leave you to your misery."

Blaise closed the door with more force than necessary, clearly angry, and Draco glared at the door as though it was responsible for all of his problems.

-X-X-X-

Nightmares haunted Draco, echoing with cold laughter and empty promises of freedom. On a good night, he got about three hours of sleep, so he often found himself wandering throughout the castle. He'd mastered the art of avoiding Filch, and regularly went to the kitchens for a nighttime snack.

Which was where he was now, eating a treacle tart and having some tea. Usually he only had the house elves for company, and they rarely spoke to him. The way his family had treated Dobby had them all scared of him, and honestly, he couldn't blame them.

"Will there be anything else Mr. Malfoy, sir?" a tiny voice asked him, and Draco looked down to see a female house elf with huge blue eyes staring up at him. "Wimsy isn't afraid of Mr. Malfoy."

"You're the only one." Draco said, smiling at her, though he knew the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "No, thank you." Draco fished a Galleon from his pocket and gave it to her. Wimsy's eyes grew impossibly large as she took in the polished gold. She bowed deeply and scurried away, clutching her treasure to her chest.

"That was very kind of you," Draco jumped at the new voice, and whirled to face Luna Lovegood. She was wearing pajama pants and an oversized Weasley sweater – Draco only knew of them because the family wore them constantly in the winter. Hers was a pretty periwinkle blue with a golden L in the center. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, her wand behind her ear.

Part of Draco, a small part, was jealous of those sweaters. He knew that Molly Weasley made each one herself, and his mother would never lower herself to such manual labor.

"Hello, Luna." Draco said, his racing heart returning to its normal pace. "You can't sleep either?"

"I often dream of being held captive in the Manor. I've stopped screaming when I wake up, which I imagine is a relief to my housemates."

A welt on Draco's back throbbed, causing him to grit his teeth.

"I'm sorry you were captured." Draco told her, and he meant it.

"It's a part of war." Luna said, coming closer. "It's also not your fault."

"It's hard to tell what is and isn't anymore." Draco admitted. "I thought coming back to Hogwarts would make my father's imprisonment easier to bare, but I was wrong."

Lucius had been sentenced to twenty years in Azkaban, with a chance for parole in ten. He'd be lucky if he survived that long. Narcissa was under house arrest in Malfoy Manor, but that was only for six months. A blessing, really.

"It took a lot of bravery for you to return." Luna replied, sitting down beside him. She covered his hand with hers and offered him a small smile. "Many in your position would not have."

"You mean former Death Eaters?" Draco asked.

"No, I mean war victims. Many people, my poor father included, have taken to secluding themselves in order to make the pain stop."

Draco felt a smile forming, despite the bleak nature of their conversation. He'd never considered himself brave, but hearing Luna say it was quite uplifting.

"Luna, can I ask you something?"

"You already have." Luna said with a smirk, and Draco rolled his eyes. "But yes, go on."

"You were a part of Potter's group in fifth year, right? Dumbledore's Army?" At her nod, Draco continued. "What if I were to start something like that, only it would be against bullying, instead of advocating Defense training?"

Draco expected to feel guilty over duping Luna, but as her eyes lit up and she began to talk animatedly, he didn't feel guilt. For the first time in months…years even…he felt hopeful.

-X-X-X-

The next afternoon found a certain Slytherin walking through the castle with purpose.

Blaise Zabini hadn't been sorted into the "evil house" solely because of his good looks. Draco had said that he shouldn't talk to Potter – he'd said nothing about Luna.

He found her in the fifth floor corridor, presumably returning to Ravenclaw Tower, and he called out to her.

"Ah, hello Blaise." Luna said, her voice dreamy as usual.

"Hello, Luna. Listen, I know you spoke with Draco in the kitchens last night, and I'd like you to tell Potter about your conversation."

"Harry? Why?" Luna asked, confused.

"Draco's been getting hit with Stinging Hexes, Tripping Jinxes, and all kinds of nasty things since he came back to school. I'm sure he was too proud to tell you about it."

Luna's expression turned stormy. Clearly, she felt some level of protectiveness over Draco, and Blaise grinned inwardly – he could use that.

"And you want Harry to stop it." Luna finished for him.

"Well, if he could talk to McGonagall and get her to actually crack down on the attacks. It's not just Draco, it's a lot of us Slytherins. I know you've been bullied most of your time here…"

"People have teased me for years, yes." Luna replied. "I believe you were one of them, as recently as yesterday?"

Blaise grimaced.

"Sorry about that." he offered, and Luna waved a hand dismissively.

"I've long ago stopped taking it personally. So, you want me to bring up Draco's anti-bullying campaign to Harry?"

"I know you're good friends with the Weaslette, so you know-"

"Her name is Ginny." Luna snapped.

"Touchy." Blaise said, though he couldn't hide a grin. "Anyway, you're good friends with _Ginny_ , so you can get into Gryffindor Tower."

Luna seemed to think about her options, and Blaise could see why the Hat had sorted her into Ravenclaw.

"All right, Blaise. I'll do as you ask."

Blaise smiled.

-X-X-X-

Later that evening, Harry Potter was seated by the fire in the Gryffindor Common Room, quill poised over the top of his parchment to start his Defense essay, but no matter what he did, he couldn't seem to focus. His gaze kept drifting from the flickering flames, or out the window, or to the other students in the room.

He leaned back with a sigh, removed his glasses, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"All right, Harry?" Luna Lovegood asked; she had followed Ginny into the Common Room. Ginny was already on the stairs to the dormitories – she'd been avoiding Harry for the entire summer leading up to their return to Hogwarts. Harry had stayed at the Burrow; even though he technically owned Grimmuald Place, he wasn't ready to face those demons quite yet.

"I'm fine, Luna." Harry offered her a strained smile.

"I had the strangest conversation with Draco Malfoy last night." Luna said, swiping at invisible Nargles in Harry's hair, at least that's what Harry guessed she was doing. "He wishes to start some sort of anti-bullying campaign."

"Really?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "That's interesting."

"Oh, don't confront him. I'd like to see where this goes." Luna said, with a scarily Slytherin smile.

"I wasn't planning on confronting him." Harry said, though the thought had crossed his mind.

"Good." Luna smiled. "Talk to you soon, Harry." she skipped off to the stairs, presumably to join Ginny in whatever they were planning for the evening. Harry put his glasses back on and ran a hand through his hair.

Since discovering his bisexuality this summer, Ginny had kept him at an arm's length, possibly believing she was the cause, which was patently ridiculous. He knew they would have to discuss it soon, but he wasn't going to be the one to bring it up.

Somehow, this train of thought led him back to Malfoy. The blond boy hadn't been avoiding him, per say, not in the way Ginny had, but he didn't go out of his way to taunt him like he used too.

Something occurred to him then.

 _"_ _Just because you have the emotional range of a teaspoon doesn't mean we all have!"_

Hermione had said this to Ron in their sixth year, when he'd been dating Lavender Brown and Hermione had been so jealous she couldn't see straight.

Had Malfoy been doing the same thing with Harry? Tormenting him in order to mask his true feelings?

He'd have to be blind to miss the sexual tension between the two of them. After Harry spurned his offer of friendship in their first year, he'd dedicated much of his time and energy to making Harry's life miserable. Some would've called it pulling pigtails.

Come to think of it, Ron and Hermione had bickered for _years_ , each too stubborn to realize their feelings for the other. Granted, his and Draco's rivalry went beyond mere bickering – what Harry had done to him in the Prefects' Bathroom came to mind – but it was the principle of the matter.

Harry sighed again – he wondered what Hermione would say to this, if she were here. He knew what Ron would say: _Malfoy?! Come on, mate, there's no way!_ Hermione would be infinitely more reasonable.

Ron had taken up Kingsley's offer to join the Auror academy immediately after the war, and Hermione had decided to take some time off from school, to go to Australia and see if she could restore her parents' memories. Hogwarts felt strange without the two of them, but Harry supposed that had more to do with his own mental health than the school itself.

His gaze fell on his blank essay and he groaned. Maybe a change in scenery would help.

Grabbing his parchment and knapsack, he walked out of Gryffindor Tower and down to the library.

His thoughts drifted back to Luna's words, and Harry took a detour to Headmistress McGonagall's office.

-X-X-X-

Thanks to the dittany that Blaise had carefully applied to his wounds, Draco was able to go through his classes with little pain. He just needed to be cautious of moving too quickly, or sitting up too straight.

He'd also taken to keeping his wand more accessible and looking over his shoulder when he walked alone. Part of him scoffed at his paranoia, but he also knew that war stains would take a while to heal.

"Malfoy?"

Draco looked up and silver met emerald.

Potter looked…well, he looked simply divine. Knapsack carelessly tossed onto his left shoulder, hair a ridiculous mess, and glasses somehow bigger in the dim light, Draco idly wondered how Harry would react if Draco chose to pin him to the nearest wall and snog him.

Not that he would. He didn't have a death wish. His attraction to Potter was more or less a mosquito in his ear than a true problem.

Really.

"Potter." Draco said, forcing as much derision into his voice as he could muster.

For some reason though, Potter _smiled_.

"Something funny?" Draco sneered.

"Luna told me about your anti-bullying campaign. I'm just coming back from McGonagall's office now. Expect an announcement about it tomorrow at breakfast."

" _What_?!" Draco demanded. At Potter's adorably perplexed look, Draco threw his hands up. "It was a prank. A stupid joke." he said, almost to himself.

Harry dropped his bag and leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

"Somehow, I don't think that's true."

"What do you know?" Draco bit out.

Harry's perfectly pink lips lifted into a smirk.

"I know quite a bit about you… _Draco_."

A shiver shot down Draco's spine at Potter's tone. If he didn't know any better, Potter almost sounded…aroused, flirtatious, even. "I know that you saved my life when the Snatchers caught us."

"I didn't know it was you." Draco lied.

"If you say so. It was your wand that defeated Voldemort, you know." Harry said offhandedly. Draco couldn't stop himself from flinching at the name.

"Yes, I know." Draco said impatiently. "Are we done?"

"Do you have somewhere to be?" Potter asked.

The short answer was no, but Draco wasn't going to tell Potter that.

"My social engagements are of no import to you, Savior. A former Death Eater shouldn't even be privy to your time."

Anger flashed across Potter's face, and his magic crackled so strongly that Draco could taste the power. What should have been terrifying was incredibly sexy.

 _Well, everyone knew I was fucked up, what's another bit of proof for them?_ Draco thought.

"Why do you do that? All these years, you've been convinced that I love being in the spotlight, that I want the attention, but if you actually took the time to _talk_ to me like a normal person, you'd know that I never wanted any of that."

"If you'll remember, Potter, I did try to be your friend." Draco reminded him nastily. "You chose Weasley over me."

"Can you blame me?" Potter demanded. "I'd known I was a wizard for about a month when you offered. Everything I'd heard about you had shown you were evil, not to mention the way you insulted Hagrid in Madam Malkin's."

"I was trying to impress you." Draco said impatiently. "Was it stupid and wrong? Yes. But, news flash, Potter. People change. I was eleven, and insulting Muggle-borns and blood traitors was how I'd been raised – _I didn't know any better_!"

"And now you do?" Harry asked, and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Of course, you utter dolt."

"So do you want to be friends now?"

 _What?_

"What?" Draco was sure his brain had stopped working.

"I said, do you want to be friends now?" Harry stood tall, uncrossing his arms and not breaking Draco's stare.

The blond boy blinked, barely able to think.

"I don't want your pity, Potter." Draco snarled. He started to walk away, but Potter grabbed his elbow and pulled him so close their noses almost touched.

"I'm not pitying you." Harry said, his voice now a whisper. "I truly want to be your friend. I think you could use one."

"I have friends!" Draco batted Harry's arm away.

"Not like me." Harry said, a challenge in his tone. "What do you say, Draco?" Harry offered his hand for a shake. "Friends?" He cocked his head in a truly infuriating manner. "Or are you scared?"

Draco looked between Harry's hand and his face, and when he met the other boy's eyes, he saw earnestness there. Harry Potter truly wanted to be his friend, after all these years?

"You wish." Draco said automatically, and then shook Potter's hand, ignoring the sparks that shot up his arm at the contact.

"Brilliant." Harry grinned, and Draco was momentarily stunned by the action. "See you at breakfast."

With that, the Boy Who Lived Twice took off, strutting cockily away as though he'd won some sort of prize.

Draco stared at his hand as though he didn't recognize it. What had he just gotten himself into?

-X-X-X-

The next morning, Draco overslept, so he was rushing to the Great Hall to get something quick, and when he did, all the eyes in the room fell on him.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. If you would come up here please?"

Draco's stomach plummeted to his feet, but he walked with his head held high. It was the longest walk he'd ever undertaken, but he made sure not to show it.

He stepped up next to Headmistress McGonagall, who offered him an approving glance.

"I have been informed recently that Mr. Malfoy would like to begin an anti-bullying campaign here at Hogwarts. If you'd like to take part, please see myself, Mr. Malfoy, or Harry Potter. The time for petty rivalries between houses has passed. It is time for a new beginning. I previously said that anyone caught bullying would be subject to 100 house point deduction, however, now the punishment is much more severe. Any Hogwarts student caught bullying will be expelled and asked to leave the premises to face punishment from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Murmurs erupted across the four House tables. "This rule also applies if a victim of bullying comes forward."

The longer Draco stood in front of the entire school, the more uncomfortable he became. "Thank you for your attention, I believe you have classes to attend?"

Students stared for a few more seconds, and as each passed, Draco found it harder and harder to breathe. Once he was finally permitted to leave, he almost stumbled down the steps in a blind haze, his vision distorted in his anxiety.

"Mal-Draco!" Potter. Potter's voice. Draco focused on the sound, allowing it to fill him up as he breathed through the mental agony that tore through him. "Draco, are you all right?"

"Sod off Potter," Draco heard Blaise say, distantly though, as if everyone were underwater.

"I'd like to see that my friend is okay, Zabini. If it's all the same to you." Harry's voice is even closer now, clearer, and Draco opened his eyes – he hadn't even realized he'd shut them. "He needs to go to Madam Pomfrey," Harry continued, and Draco felt the concern in Harry's emerald eyes on him like a slime, one that made him feel so unbelievably dirty.

 _Too pure for a Death Eater. Too good. You don't deserve his friendship, his anything._ His anxiety hissed, sounding like a cross between the Dark Lord and Lucius Malfoy.

"I'm fine." Draco finally said, straightening his spine and shoving the thoughts away. "Blaise, we have to get to Defense."

Draco didn't look at Harry, despite how much he wanted too.

-X-X-X-

He was getting himself settled in for his Charms lesson when it happened.

"Excuse me?"

Draco turned and found a first year Slytherin girl, with short chestnut brown hair and vibrant blue eyes looking up at him, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. "This morning the headmistress said that bullying victims could come talk to you."

Suddenly, Draco felt incredibly awkward. He could see the fear and nervousness displayed on this young girl's face, and a sudden rush of anger hit him. How could anyone bully a child?

"Of course," Draco said soothingly, and he ignored the feeling of eyes on him. "Let's wait until after class, yeah?"

The girl offered him a shaky smile and nodded.

Draco later learned the girl's name with Mildred Selwyn, and her uncle was one of the Dark Lord's followers, though Draco couldn't recall his face. Selwyn – one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight.

"I like to be called Millie." Mildred said quietly. "And I thought I was going to get sorted into Hufflepuff for sure…"

Draco's heart thumped uncomfortably in his chest as the girl began to open up to him.

"I was only six when my mum and dad died," she said. "Uncle Matthias took me in, tried to teach me about blood purity, but my mum made sure I didn't believe in that, so it didn't work. When the war came, Uncle Matthias sent me to live with his ex-wife, Theresa."

Draco listened carefully, and with a pang, he realized that this poor child could already see Thestrals, as she had witnessed death. "When I got my Hogwarts letter, I was so excited. My dad had told me stories about it – he was a Gryffindor – and when I got here…" Millie shuddered. "It was awful, Mr. Draco. People cursed and jinxed each other in the halls just for looking at them wrong. Or breathing wrong. I thought it would be better once V-Voldemort was defeated."

Millie ducked her head, and Draco wanted to pull her into a hug, the way his mother had when he was a small child. "People still jinx and curse me." She leaned down to pull up a pant leg and showed him a Stinging Hex welt, similar to the ones that covered his back.

"I promise you, Millie." Draco said, putting a firm hand on her shoulder. "This ends now."

-X-X-X-

Soon enough, more Slytherins came to Draco to tell their stories, and Draco relayed them all back to Harry. The dark-haired boy took note of each the students and their accusers, and students began to disappear from the halls.

Their expulsions were handled quickly and quietly, lest the Prophet come snooping about, but eventually, the decisive split between good people and former Death Eaters (or people related to Death Eaters) became smaller. Interhouse cooperation began to flourish, and Draco's tentative hopeful feelings became what he could honestly call happiness.

He and Potter were becoming closer and closer as friends, thus forcing Draco to deal with the feelings that had always been simmering under the surface.

He realized that Potter, while flawed and disgustingly heroic, he was also loyal, funny, sarcastic, and had the most infectious smile. He began to notice some of the most insignificant things about the hero, like the way he used Spellotape to keep his glasses together, or the brightness of his eyes when he talked about his friends.

Draco Malfoy fancied Harry Potter. He had for years, actually, probably since fourth year, when Draco had realized he was gay.

 _These feelings are pointless._ His brain told him as he took a long swig of Butterbeer, and he nearly choked.

 _I know._

-X-X-X-

Due to the fact that professors were not omnipotent and could not completely stop the bullying, McGonagall had given Draco, Harry, and Luna the powers of a prefect. Draco didn't feel the need to remind her that he'd already been one.

With those powers came the responsibilities of late night rounds, and of course, the time came for Draco and Harry to walk through the school together. Filch had to sleep at some point, after all.

Draco met Harry in the Entrance Hall, and the other boy was holding a piece of parchment.

"Potter, if you think I'm going to do your homework for you, you're mad."

Harry smiled, and Draco's heart leapt.

"I can do my own homework, thanks. I want to show you something."

After making sure no one was around them, Harry withdrew his wand and tapped the parchment. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Instantly, ink began to spread across the parchment, and Draco watched in wonder as the halls of Hogwarts were mapped out. "My dad and his friends made this when they were in school. It's called the Marauder's Map."

Draco stared at the Entrance Hall, where two disappearing and reappearing footsteps showed him and Harry. "It shows all the secret passageways and traps. I think that's how the bullies have been getting away undetected."

"That's incredible." Draco whispered, unable to hide his awe. He'd known James Potter to be a bully himself, but also a brave man. Harry clearly inherited more than just his good looks from the older man.

"Shall we?" Harry said with a grand grin, and Draco rolled his eyes, smiling.

Once their rounds were done, Harry yawned widely and rubbed his stomach.

"I could go for a snack, how about you?" he asked, and Draco numbly nodded.

He knew the way to the kitchens like the back of his hand, so when Potter closed the map with a quick "Mischief managed", he leaned in to tickle the pear in the painting.

"You know," Harry said around a mouthful of treacle tart. He had some crumbs around his lips, and Draco had to clench his fist to keep him from licking them away. "I never thought you'd actually agree to be my friend. Ron and Hermione were shocked when I told them-"

"You told them?" Draco asked, expecting to be insulted, though he was actually just curious.

"Course. I fire message them weekly." Harry answered.

An unnerving thought occurred to Draco. What if Harry was just using him? His two best friends in the world had abandoned him, why not take advantage of the lowly former Death Eater?

His stomach seemed to curl in on itself at the thought.

"Potter…I have to know. You offered to be my friend after years and years of mutual hatred. What's in it for you?"

"I never hated you." Harry answered, sipping his tea. "And I don't think you ever hated me either."

For some reason, that statement made Draco flustered, blushing like a girl on her first date. "As for what's in it for me, isn't it obvious?" Harry leaned closer, his lips caressing Draco's ear as he said, "I think you're fit as hell."

Draco's tea cup shattered on the floor, spilling brown liquid everywhere. Harry's electric green eyes were watching him, studying him, and suddenly Draco couldn't breathe.

"I, uh…I have to go." Draco stammered. "I'd like to get some sleep tonight, if that's all right with you."

Harry tilted his head, black hair falling into his eyes.

"Do you really?" Harry asked, and Draco swallowed thickly. "I thought we were getting somewhere."

Draco stood, trying to cling to whatever remained of his dignity. "I can see right through you, you know." Harry said. "You fancy me too."

Righteous indignation shot through Draco, and he blustered out a response.

"Shove off, Potter. Your fame has made you delusional."

Harry stood, walking slowly toward Draco. Draco walked backward until he hit a wall.

"Has it?" Harry pressed his hands to either side of Draco's ears, boxing him in.

Draco's thoughts raced – Potter was straight, wasn't he? He'd been dating the Weasley girl last Draco knew, and-and…his thoughts stopped.

Harry Potter, the Chosen One, the Boy Who Lived Twice, Hero of the Wizarding World…was kissing him. _Definitely not straight, then._

The other boy's lips were dry, a little chapped, but he made up for it with his wicked tongue. Heat coursed through Draco's body, especially as Harry pressed his thigh between the blond boy's legs. _Oh shite._

Draco gasped as Harry kissed along his jaw and down his neck, leaving fire in his wake.

"H-Harry, s-stop." Draco stuttered, just as Harry began to suck a love bite at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. His gasp turned into a moan as the dark haired boy's teeth rubbed along the swollen skin, only to be followed with kisses and gentle licks.

Harry pulled back, pupils wide with arousal, and grinned.

"You called me Harry."

Draco's heart was thundering against his ribcage, his face felt hot and his hands were sweaty.

Not to mention he'd never been harder in his _life._

 _You don't deserve him._ His brain chimed in. _Better to leave like the coward you are._

"I'm sorry." Draco murmured. " _Petrificus Totalus_ ," he waved his wand, and Harry's shocked face froze as the Full Body Bind took effect. His body slammed to the ground, and Draco swept out of the room and back to the safety of his dormitory.

-X-X-X-

"Draco?" Blaise said blearily as the blond boy stumbled to his bed.

"Go back to sleep." Draco said, shoving his face into his pillow.

" _Lumos_." The room filled with light from Blaise's wand, and Draco groaned.

Greg and Theo's curtains were pulled tight around their beds, so they were protected from the bright light. Vince's empty bed was made perfectly, but his energy still surrounded the space. Draco chose not to dwell on that.

"I'm not in the mood for this, Blaise." Draco growled. "Just go back to sleep."

"Forget it." Blaise said, watching Draco carefully. "You look like hell."

"Thanks." Draco rolled onto his back and instantly regretted it – the dittany had stopped working, and the burning pain had returned.

"What was the deal with Potter the other day? Acting concerned like he actually cares about you?"

"We've agreed to be friends. Put the past behind us." Draco said, and he automatically thought about the way Potter's lips had danced over his skin. _Bloody hell._ He pressed his palms into his eyes. "Is that all? I'd like to get some sleep, as it's-" he cast a quick Tempus and saw that it was 3:45 AM "-almost 4 AM."

"Fine, you asshole. I was just trying to help." Blaise grumbled.

"How very Hufflepuff of you." Draco said dryly, and Blaise flipped him off before he whispered " _Nox_."

The room was plunged into darkness once again, and Draco reached into his bedside table, where a Dreamless Sleep Draught waited for him. He drank it down in one swig, and waited for sleep to claim him.

-X-X-X-

If Draco hadn't been avoiding Harry before, he certainly was now. Whenever Harry tried to talk to him, he found an excuse to leave, or just flat out ignored him.

It took one week for Harry to outsmart the other boy, and he needed help from the Map to do it.

Draco had volunteered to do solitary rounds, and though McGonagall had advised him against it, he'd been adamant that he could handle things on his own.

During those solitary rounds, Harry watched Draco on the Map, studying his habits and places he liked to spend time.

One place in particular was the Potions classroom. Harry knew a portrait of Snape was there, so perhaps he was looking for advice from the old Potions Master?

Harry made sure he was in the classroom thirty minutes before Draco usually came there, and managed to convince Snape to spend the night in the Headmaster's office. He slipped under the invisibility cloak and waited.

When the door opened, Harry smirked to himself.

"Draco."

The other boy froze and looked around wildly. Harry pulled the invisibility cloak off, and Draco's face drained of color. He tried to go back out the way he came, but Harry cast several locking charms on the door. "We need to talk."

"This is imprisonment, Potter." Draco told him coolly.

"Well, it's the only way you'll bloody talk to me, so if you want to call the Aurors, go right ahead. I'm sure they're chomping at the bit to arrest me."

"We have nothing to discuss." Draco said. "Can't you handle your advances being spurned? Your rabid fangirls will ease the blow, I'm sure."

Harry cocked his head again, in that infuriatingly irresistible way of his.

"See, they weren't spurned. You wanted me to keep going, kissing you, licking you, biting-"

"That's quite enough, Potter!" Draco spat, his face flushing. "And I did not want you to continue, that's why I told you to stop."

Harry arched an eyebrow.

"It was actually more of a breathy stammer." Harry said. "You moaned at one point too."

"I did not!"

"Did so." Harry argued, with a stupidly self-satisfied smirk.

"You're such a goddamn prat." Draco told him. "Saint Potter, with his fucking hero complex and ridiculous need to thrust himself into dangerous situations. You're such a Gryffindor it's sickening."

"The Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin at first. I begged it not too."

"You…what?"

Harry took a hesitant step toward Draco, and then another when the blond boy didn't protest. "Chalk it up to the misguided aspirations of youth. I just so happened to have both house attributes."

Draco shook his head slowly, putting his hands out, as if that could stop Potter. He closed his eyes and felt Potter's firm chest under his Weasley sweater, and he swallowed hard.

"Draco, open your eyes." Harry said softly.

The Slytherin boy did so, and was overwhelmed by Potter's perfect face. He focused his attention on one of the many wayward hairs on Potter's head.

"What's in this for you?" Draco whispered. "What do you stand to gain?"

"Your heart." Harry told him honestly.

A strange sort of noise escaped Draco, and he backed away from Potter, the situation feeling all too familiar.

"You're so stupid."

Draco licked his lips, and he felt Potter's eyes on the action, rather than saw them, and the heat that swirled up his spine was as unforgiving as the Fiendfyre. "You've had my heart for seven years."

At that admission, Draco's backward steps ended with the locked door. "Now let me out."

"Not a chance." Harry came down hard, gripping Draco's wrists and shoving them over his head and he assaulted his mouth. Draco whimpered at Harry's dominance.

Draco wasn't sure what it was that made him kiss back. Years of sexual frustration, the newfound friendly affection, or something else entirely.

Their tongues tangled in a war of passion, and Harry never let up.

 _I love him._

Draco's eyes shot open as the realization shook him to his core.

"Harry." Draco said. "I think I love you."

Harry was just getting to his knees, his fingers wrapped around the waistband of Draco's pajama pants when the Boy Who Lived grinned up at him.

"I love you too."

And then Harry's tongue – his warm, wet, _wicked_ tongue – was wrapped around Draco's cock and he bit back a long cry of pleasure. Watching Harry's impossible hair sway as he sucked was probably the hottest thing Draco had ever seen.

And then Harry's tongue was on his balls, and Draco saw stars.

"God, you taste fucking amazing." Harry murmured.

Draco's knees shook and he wasn't sure if he would be able to walk out of this room tonight.

"Stars above, Potter. Your mouth was made for sucking cock."

"Call me Harry, or this stops." Harry said, a growl in his voice.

 _Oh fuck._ Draco thought. _That's hot._

"I'm getting close." Draco was slightly embarrassed by how fast Harry was going to make him explode, but he ignored the taunts his brain shot at him.

"Mmm," Harry moaned around Draco's cock, sending vibrations throughout the blond boy. "Want to fuck you so bad."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Draco asked, and Harry looked up at him with those godforsaken _eyes,_ and Draco came before he could even warn the other boy.

Harry swallowed every drop of Draco's orgasm and Draco had a new definition for the hottest thing he'd ever seen – Harry's arousal face was now at the top of that list.

Harry intertwined his fingers with Draco's taking him to one of the large work tables. The blond boy's pajama pants and boxers were still on the floor by the door, and the cool breeze of the dungeons chilled Draco's bare bum.

Harry slapped his right arse cheek, and Draco gasped sharply.

"Going to make you feel me with every step." Harry said filthily, and Draco let Harry bend him over the table. "Every time you sit down you're going to remember what my cock felt like, buried deep in your pretty white arse."

"Holy hell, Harry. Just fuck me already."

"Take off your shirt first." Harry instructed. Draco did so, and Harry's breath whooshed out of him when he saw his mutilated back. "Draco, why didn't you tell me?"

Draco, ashamed, closed his eyes.

"It doesn't matter." Draco said around clenched teeth.

"It does to me." Harry replied, and he struck both of Draco's arse cheeks, as if in retaliation. "We'll be talking about this later, but my cock is going to explode if it doesn't get in your arsehole soon."

"Can't have that." Draco said, but all thoughts left his mind as Harry's hands spread his arse cheeks wide and _licked,_ pressing his tongue _inside of Draco's entrance._

Draco's nails gouged the work table as he made intelligible noises of pure ecstasy.

"H-Harry, I-I'm ready," Draco moaned, his voice weakened by his overwhelming desire.

"Mmm. Your arsehole is even better than your cock." Harry said, and he stood to line himself up with Draco's spit slicked entrance. "This is probably going to hurt." the hero warned, and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Just do – _ahhh_!" Draco's entrance burned and stretched at the intrusion, but he quickly grew accustomed to it. "Goddamn it Harry, _move_!"

Harry did, with gusto, groaning as his balls slapped against Draco's already reddened skin. The Boy Who Lived leaned down, filling Draco completely, and pressed tiny kisses along each of Draco's wounds, and the sensitivity of the action made Draco explode all over again.

"I'm going to blow!" Harry warned, and suddenly Draco could feel the Savior's hot seed inside him, and he let out a final shout before they both collapsed.

-X-X-X-

 _Two Months Later_

Snow covered the field around the Burrow, and Draco looked up at the gravity-defying structure.

"It's no Malfoy Manor," Harry said, putting an arm around Draco's shoulders. "But it's pretty brilliant."

Harry led Draco to the front door, and the blond boy felt a harsh anxiety begin to form in his gut.

"Are you sure about this?" Draco asked, and Harry turned to him, a warm smile on his face. "They have every reason to hate me."

"See, that's the thing about the Weasleys. Having every reason to do something means they do the exact opposite."

Before Draco could protest more, Harry pushed open the door.

Peppermint and warmth assailed Draco's senses, and soon enough, a stout woman was hugging him.

"Oh, Draco, welcome, welcome!" Molly Weasley beamed. "Harry's told us all about you and your anti-bullying campaign at Hogwarts, and we couldn't be happier to welcome you into our home."

"Molly, do you have the gift?" Harry asked, after hugging his adopted mother and kissing both of her cheeks.

"Of course, dear." Molly answered, and when Draco looked at his boyfriend in confusion. The Weasley matriarch went over to the Christmas tree, and picked up a white cardboard box. She smiled and thrust the box at Draco. "Go on, open it."

Draco carefully lifted the lid and unwrapped the tissue paper, only to find…

A Weasley sweater of his very own.

It was a dark forest green, and made of yarn. The letter D was sewn in gold, and Draco's eyes filled with tears at the love that had gone into every stitch.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." Draco said.

The plump woman smiled widely.

"You're quite welcome, dear. Now sit down and eat!"

Harry leaned over and whispered in Draco's ear: "Don't run away now."

Draco undid his scarf and gave Harry a genuine smile.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Draco said, and Harry's smile grew wider.

-X-X-X-


End file.
